Pro Inline Hockey in Europe?

[RichardGraham]

Pat Lee, a long-time inline hockey player, is hoping to find a pro inline hockey team he can play for in Europe.

At the moment, for some reason, he is unable to log on to IHC’s Forums section, so he has asked me to post this information for him. If you have any leads, please post them here, as Lee is able to at least read the Forums postings.

Lee has played inline hockey for about 10 years. For four of those years, he played on Team USA at the IIHF Inline Hockey World Championship, and he was the tournament’s leading scorer in 2008. Also a Team Mission pro for five years, Lee was NARCh Pro high scorer in 2007, and he’s been on a NARCh Pro title-winning team. He also won a TORHS Pro championship with Team Tour STL in 2008.

Additionally, Lee has played ice hockey his whole life and was playing this year in the CHL before being released from his team last Friday.

If any IHC reader has information for Pat, please post it here. Thank you very much.

[ACCCT2]

Check out some of the Italian, Austrian and German "Elite" leagues -- typically, on an "Elite" inline club it's not unusual to find that at least a couple of their players might be off-season ice hockey players who are expected to stay in "game shape" (and under club contract) by playing inline hockey during the ice hockey off season (in the North American/European summer). Levels of actual "pay" vary, but generally "getting-paid" is usually dependent upon a player's year-round ("ice" and "inline") relationship with the parent hockey club, so if you're NOT playing "paid-to-play" ("pro") ice hockey, then you'd absolutely BETTER BE an unbelievably talented and almost un-stoppable player on wheels.

In any event, Pat sounds as though he should be able to find something to suit him there (although realistically, it's most probably going to depend more on his being a "year-round" ice/inline player). Being a CHL player (but critically, what style of player & for how long?), he should be able to find at least a 2nd tier pro ice hockey club to play for and this might lead into the "year-round" scenario that he would most probably have to play under.

[phil#8]

dont forget that spain, france and the czech rep have some top teams too. i live in portugal and some times steve simoes (CHL laredo bucks player) come here in holidays and plays with us.
so probably you will play with some top players.
sorry for my english



PS. i can get some contacts for spanish teams if u want.

[ACCCT2]

I know that there's "top teams" and "Elite" leagues in the countries you mentioned, but I think from what I can gather of Richard's post on Pat Lee's behalf, if what I'm reading is correct it's that Pat is looking to "get paid" (as in cash money) for playing "pro" inline hockey (as that is the "correct" definition of "pro") -- and that doesn't really happen (at least that I know of anyway) in those countries you mentioned.

OR...maybe I'm wrong in my assumption of what "pro" means to Pat (via our sadly bastardized American English 'definitions' of what "pro" really means) and Pat simply wants to play "top" or "Elite" level inline hockey and doesn't really expect to "get paid" (in which case he could find a "top" or "Elite" level team almost anywhere in Europe he could play for).

[DCbullets14]

Just curious what is the skill level like in the other countries? Is it similar to narch pro, torhs, elite league (aihl and PIHA), better than both?

[quick_dry]

A guy from one of my teams plays over in germany, while the players in the top teams in the top tier get paid there - if that was your only income you'd wanna be living very frugally and making sure your team provided all your gear. Most teams have a network of businesses that take the players on for 'cash in hand, off the books' payment for part-time work.

Money wise it sounds much like the RHI was to pro ice - a good way to make some money and keep playing hockey during the off-season, but it'd be tough if it was your only source of income.

[AZHockeyGuy]

Are there any links to websites representing these teams or the "Elite/Pro" leagues they play in?

[ACCCT2]

In many cases, much higher. Definitely better than anything either PIHA or AIHL could roster-up or offer. Some of the Italian, German, Austrian, Czech and Slovak teams have amazingly skilled "pro" ("paid-to-play") ice hockey players who use the inline game as an off-season conditioning regimen that keeps their skill-sets up. At present there are no fully "pro" leagues in Europe, heck, not even full "pro" teams (although at least "pro" in Europe actually means "paid-to-play"). At best and depending on the inline team's relationship with the local "pro" ice hockey club or parent organization, you'll find usually 1, 2, maybe 3 or 4 players who might qualify as "pro" players who are somehow "paid" (in cash) or compensated (via their "ice" contract commitments) for playing inline.

Just curious what is the skill level like in the other countries? Is it similar to narch pro, torhs, elite league (aihl and PIHA), better than both?

[Mtour71]

www.Asiagovipers.it

You can get a translated version too!

[quick_dry]

I don't know if you have the equivalent in the USA, but here we have club football (be it rugby league, or soccer) teams that are attached to a 'Leagues club', or an RSL (Returned Servicemans League), or Catholic Club - in essence these are just all variations on a theme, its a business that gets tax breaks because it contributes cheap facilities to the community - and it generates money from beer, hiring halls out, and from one armed-bandit revenue:

www.castlehillrsl.com.au
parraleagues.com.au

and the players train often and get paid a few hundred bucks per game, more or less depending on the division, with bonus for better results. If you have the equivalent, that might help you draw parallels on pay scale.